Billions of messages are communicated each day between many different users from a variety of locations. For example, users may exchange emails to communicate messages that include text, graphics, files, and so on over the Internet. Therefore, users may be located in different offices and even on different continents and communicate emails between each other.
In another example, users may exchange instant messages in an instant messaging session. For instance, when two users are online at the same time, instant messages may be exchanged in real time between the two users. In this way, the instant messages may be utilized to support a text conversation between the two users in a manner that mimics how the two users would participate in a typical spoken conversation. During the instant messaging session, users may communicate additional information that is attached to the message, such as emoticons, executable files that provide a moving display of graphics, and so on.
Malicious parties, however, may utilize message attachments to spread malicious computer code, which is commonly referred to as computer viruses. A computer virus, for instance, may be configured as an executable file that is designed to replicate itself. For example, a computer virus may disguise itself as a legitimate program such that a user will select the seemingly legitimate program. This selection may cause the spread of the computer virus on the user's computing device, as well as to other computing devices.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for techniques for processing message attachments, such as to identify computer viruses.